July 26, (THEWILL) – At Euro 2022 on Tuesday, Alessia Russo’s incredible backheel goal helped England to a 4-0 victory over Sweden, ending their semi-final jinx.
The Lionesses overcame Sweden’s energetic start, during which Stina Blackstenius hit the crossbar, and seized the lead in the 34th minute with a Beth Mead goal. The score remained 1-nil until the second half when three minutes after the restart, Lucy Bronze doubled England’s advantage.
In the 68th minute, Russo, a substitute, produced a moment of brilliance that put England comfortably beyond reach. With 14 minutes left, Fran Kirby bravely chipped Hedvig Lindahl, ending England’s streak of three consecutive semi-final losses at major competitions and securing their spot in Sunday’s championship game at Wembley.
As a result, the Lionesses defeated the overwhelming pre-tournament favourites with surprising ease in front of a boisterous home crowd. This insured that they would play in their first major event final since 2009 on Sunday at Wembley against either France or Germany.
Unfortunately, Spain will rue their luck. They were struck by injury and lost two very significant players. Before their opening game, Alexia Putellas tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during practice, and Jenni Hermoso was forced to abandon the session due to a knee injury.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
